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Friday, July 25, 2008

Today is my blog's first birthday. It was exactly one year ago that I launched this blog. I did so with some trepidation. Would I be using up time that I ought to be spending on other endeavors? Would I write fewer poems? Would I be taken less seriously as a poet if I became a blogger? Would anyone bother to visit my blog?

I'm happy to say that starting a blog has been a very good experience. Sure, I guess I should be off right now cleaning something or reading something, but those things will get done (okay, maybe the cleaning won't get done). I don't write any more poems than I did before the blog, but I don't think I write any less either. One thing's for sure—I've written a lot more on a variety of topics, stuff I would never have written without the blog. In fact, in the past year, I've written 138 posts! Whoever thought I'd turn into such a blabbermouth.

I can't say if anyone takes me less seriously as a poet now that I'm a blogger too, but I can say with certainty that I continue to take myself quite seriously. And I've certainly bought and read more poetry, some of it because of exchanges here on the blog.

I think I'm more observant. I'm listening carefully for topics that might be useful on the blog. I read more carefully, again thinking about some response I might make on the blog. I pay more attention to books and chapbooks now that I might want to feature one on the blog. I take more photos as I love adding visual effects. That kind of makes life more fun. And really, that's what I enjoy about blogging, i.e., it's fun. I've made contacts with lots of people I've never met and I've learned a thing or two. And I like to think that I've put a few poems out into the world that maybe you hadn't seen and that I've helped a few poets sell a few books.

Like that baseball field, it seems that once I built it, people came. Readers have come from all across the US: Oklahoma, Missouri, California, Massachusetts, Florida, and so on. And they've come from outside the US: Canada, Scotland, Germany, India, Holland, Brazil, and Singapore.

11 comments
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It's my one year anniversary in a week or two. Can't remember the exact date but then I've never been very good with birthdays. And you're right, the blog has stretched me as a writer. I'd never written non-fiction before and it was a slow start. The biggest problem was getting noticed and that was a long slog of making comments on other blogs but it has proven worthwhile. I rarely get less that 100 visitors a day and sometimes as many as 300 and that's me only posting twice a week. The important thing is that we have both grown as writers and as long as I feel that's happening then I'll keep at it. The other beneficial thing is that via the blogosphere I've been able to support other writers and some of the support has come back my way. That's never a bad thing.

Have another piece, Joannie. Jim--I agree with all you've said. It does take time and patience to build up a readership, but little by little it happens. Another thing I didn't mention is that I feel like I've become part of another poetry community. There's so much information we offer and receive. I think you can find your exact date and the number of posts in your edit mode--should be top left.

Congratulations and Happy Birthday to Blogalicious! I especially agree re: expanding one's poetry community, even more so if you don't have an academic background. I've discovered so many poets & books I'd never have heard of w/o blogs -- including yours!

I haven't found that blogging has changed my writing any, although there may be times when I think, hmm, I'm out there on my blog claiming to be a writer and I haven't written anything this week so maybe I should sit down at my desk so as not to be a big fat internet liar. It definitely has changed my reading -- like you, I've definitely bought and read poetry because of things I've read on other people's blogs or comments people have made on mine -- and most of it has been pretty good.

I'm pretty sure my chapbook has had far more pre-orders than it would have had without a blog to promote it. But I'm actually happiest about the "discovering cool poetry to read" part. That is fairly priceless.

Hey Nick and Anne--have some more cake! Anne, yes, absolutely about the reading and buying part. Seems to me, though, that the buying part comes about in a nice way, nicer by blogging than by flogging.

And you also received at least one blurb as a result of your blog. Looking forward to your collection.

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About Me

I live and write poetry in New Jersey. My most recent book is The Crafty Poet: A Portable Workshop. I am also the author of three full-length books, most recently Temptation by Water (Wind Pub, 2010). My second collection, What Feeds Us, received the 2006 Quentin R. Howard Poetry Prize. I am also the author of Eve's Red Dress and two chapbooks, Against Perfection and Greatest Hits 1997-2010. My poems appear in a number of anthologies such as Garrison Keillor's Good Poems for Hard Times and in such journals as Harvard Review, Spoon River Poetry Review, and Prairie Schooner. My poems have been featured on Poetry Daily, Verse Daily, and The Writer’s Almanac.